Saul- The Anointed

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant Matthew twenty twenty six. Dear Lord, you teach us that true greatness comes through humility. Help us lead as you did by serving others with grace, patience, and compassion. When pride urges us to seek recognition, remind us that honor in your kingdom is found in putting others first. Give us the courage to lead with integrity and the strength to carry the burdens of those we serve. Fill us with wisdom so our guidance reflects your heart. May our words and actions point others not to ourselves, but to you, the true servant King. Amen, thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Chosen People. Remain here for a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Be sure to leave a review and share your journey of faith today. 00:01:07 Speaker 2: Previously on the Chosen. 00:01:09 Speaker 3: People, Samuel, you have led us well, but your years are advancing. Though I do not want to insult you. Your sons do not walk in your ways, but no one to take your place. The elders and I request that you appoint a king to judge us. 00:01:26 Speaker 4: What do kings bring tyranny, change, burden, suit another pharaoh you would have over you. 00:01:37 Speaker 5: Heed the people's voice in everything. 00:01:41 Speaker 6: They ask, what, but why? 00:01:48 Speaker 5: Surely they have not rejected you. They have rejected me, and desire that I should not reign over them. Obey their voice and make them a king. Take heart, Samuel, for I will guide you in this. Even in their wicked ways, my purposes shall prevail. Tomorrow. At this time I will send you a man from Benjamin. He is the one who will reign over the people, the one they have begged for. He shall restrain them, deliver them from their enemies, and bear the weight of their ingratitude. 00:02:36 Speaker 2: The plains of Benjamin lay beneath the midday sun, a patchwork of green fields and shadowed hills that stretch toward the borders of Ephraim. In the heart of these lands stood the estate of Kish, a wealthy farmer and merchant whose name carried weight among the Benjamines. His lands were vast, his herds numerous, and his lineage respected, at least by Benjamined standards. By the stables. Saul, the son of Kish, worked under the merciless heat, His bare arms glistened with sweat as he hefted a new wooden post and drove it into the earth with a solid thud. The fence had been broken the night before, and several of his father's donkeys had escaped into the hills. Saul's broad shoulders strained as he worked. The curves of muscle beneath his sun brown skin tremored with each thud. Saul was a striking figure, taller than any man in his tribe, with dark, intelligent eyes and the chiseled features of a warrior. His reputation preceded him wherever he went. Men admired his strength, women whispered of his handsomeness. Even now, As Saul carried the broken post to the woodpile, a group of young women passed by with clay jars balanced on their heads. They slowed their steps, giggling behind their hands as they watched him work. 00:04:13 Speaker 6: A Hinno woman is a lucky woman to be betrothed to such a magnificent creature. 00:04:20 Speaker 7: Oh what I wouldn't do to be his betrothed. 00:04:24 Speaker 6: My mother tried to arrange it, but a Hinnom beat us to the punch. 00:04:28 Speaker 2: Saul, pretending not to notice the women swooning, smirked to himself. He raised the axe high, its blade catching the sun, and brought it down with a sharp crack. His satisfaction was interrupted by the sound of his father's voice. 00:04:45 Speaker 8: Saul, what is the meaning of this? While in the Lord's name happened in this fence. 00:04:53 Speaker 7: Something must have spooked the darkies last night they brought the fence. I mean, I fixed it, but many of them were still missing. It must have like we wandered off into the hills. 00:05:02 Speaker 6: He'll be a fool boy. 00:05:04 Speaker 8: The fence can be repaired anytime, but if you don't find those donkeys soon. 00:05:09 Speaker 6: They may be lost or stolen. 00:05:11 Speaker 8: I swear, Saul, here's your head. Take one of the workers and go after them before they stray too far. 00:05:20 Speaker 7: As you wish, Father Tay and I will leave immediately. 00:05:23 Speaker 2: Saul tugged a loose shirt over his head and gathered his belongings into a leather satchel. He packed dried figs, bread, and a newly tanned water skin. He also took the seal of his father's household, a mark of ownership over the donkeys. Tave, Saul's right hand man, joined him. Together they climbed into the hills surrounding the estate. The sun beat down on their shoulders as they passed through the countryside, calling out for the missing animals. The hours stretched on, and the search led them beyond Benjamin's borders into the hill country of Ephraim. Here the land grew lush and fragrant with the blooms of early spring. A breeze carried the scent of wildflowers, and Saul paused at the crest of a hill, stretching his arms and taking a deep breath. 00:06:20 Speaker 7: Hm, even donkey chasing has its rewards. I get to be free from my father's hounding. 00:06:28 Speaker 2: For a few moments, Tavi chuckled but said nothing. They passed through the regions of Shalisha and Shalem, stopping in each village to inquire about the donkeys. Saul's reputation as a fighter and leader preceded him. The villagers welcomed him warmly, and the women in particular seemed eager to linger in his presence. Saul greeted them all with humility, but in his heart he relished the attention. Yet, for all their searching, the donkeys remained elusive. By the time they reached the region of zoof the sun had begun its descent. Saul's steps slowed, his weariness crept into his limbs. 00:07:12 Speaker 7: Ah, we should return. My father will begin to worry more for us than for the donkeys. 00:07:19 Speaker 2: Tavy hesitated, shielding his eyes as he scanned the horizon. His gaze settled on a cluster of buildings nestled in the hillside. 00:07:28 Speaker 6: Wait a second, I know this place. 00:07:31 Speaker 9: One of the merchants told me about a man of God who lives here. 00:07:34 Speaker 7: Seer. 00:07:35 Speaker 6: They say everything he speaks. 00:07:37 Speaker 7: Come to pass Tabby. We lost our donkeys, not the ark of the covenant. Why would a seer of God care care about a few missing donkeys? 00:07:48 Speaker 6: How would we know? If we don't ask, we're already here. What harm could it do? 00:07:53 Speaker 7: Even if we go to him, we have nothing to offer. A man of God would expect a gift or an offering. 00:07:59 Speaker 6: Right? I have a solution to that as well. 00:08:02 Speaker 2: Master Saul tav rummaged through his belongings and pulled out a small piece of tattered cloth. As he unfolded it, Saul saw a quarter shekel of silver gleaming in the fading light. 00:08:15 Speaker 6: I never go anywhere without it. It's always good to be prepared. 00:08:20 Speaker 4: I'll give it to the Seer if it means we might find the donkeys. 00:08:23 Speaker 7: What would I do without you? 00:08:25 Speaker 6: Terry, very little? All that muscle left you with little room for a brain. 00:08:31 Speaker 2: Saul tugged Tarvy under his arm and ruffled his hair. The two shoved each other, then jogged down to the city below. The city was nestled in the crook of a hill. As they descended the slopes, they came upon a well where several young women were drawing water into clay jarss. Saul leaned against the stone rim of the well, his smile easy and disarming. 00:08:56 Speaker 7: Greeting, sisters, we've come to seek the Seer. Is he he? Is he here? 00:09:02 Speaker 2: One of the women turned toward him, her eyes wide with surprise. In her haste to answer, she spilled water down her garment and flushed red. Her companions giggled as she fumbled with her jar. Saul, ever, the charmer offered her a cloth from his satchel. She took it with trembling hands, avoiding his gaze as she stammered, yes. 00:09:25 Speaker 6: My lord, he's here. 00:09:28 Speaker 5: You must be swift, though he has come to the city for a sacrifice at the high place the people will not eat until he has blessed the feast. 00:09:38 Speaker 2: Saul inclined his head in gratitude and turned toward the city gates. Tavey followed close behind. 00:09:45 Speaker 6: That charm of yours can get you just about anywhere, can't it. 00:09:49 Speaker 7: We all have to work with the gifts we've been given. 00:09:53 Speaker 2: As they approached the base of the high Place, an old man in worn robes emerged from the shadows, his stride slow but purposeful. Saul stepped forward, his commanding presence impossible to ignore. 00:10:08 Speaker 7: Sir, do you know where we might find the Seer? We heard he's coming to make a sacrifice soon. Who's asking, Saul, son of Kish and what you want with the Seer? We were hoping he'd help us find my father's missing donkeys donkers? 00:10:30 Speaker 4: Do you really need a profit to find a few donkeys? Are you really not help us? 00:10:36 Speaker 7: We've looked everywhere else, and I'd prefer not to return to my father empty handed. Can you please direct us to the Seer? 00:10:44 Speaker 6: We have some silver to offer him. 00:10:47 Speaker 2: The old man stopped and looked up at Saul, his weathered face unreadable. For a moment, the silence stretched between them. 00:10:57 Speaker 6: I am who you seek. 00:11:00 Speaker 2: Samuel's eyes had seen many things, wars fought for pride and vengeance, blood spilled over faith and folly, and men who claimed power in defiance of Heaven's will. Yet as Samuel stood at the city gates, gazing up at the man before him, a peculiar weight settled in his chest. This soul of Kish was a man apart. His stature alone spoke volumes, broad shoulders, a chest that rose and fell with steady confidence, a face crafted to inspire loyalty. His voice carried an air of command, But there was something untested in him, an immaturity that Samuel suspected even Saul himself did not recognize. The lord's voice had been clear the day before to morrow. 00:11:52 Speaker 5: At this time, I will send you a man from Benjamin. He is the one who will reign over the peace people, the one they have begged for. He shall restrain them, deliver them from their enemies, and bear the weight of their ingratitude. 00:12:13 Speaker 2: And here he stood, Saul of Kish, bearer of a warrior's frame, yet a stranger to the kind of battle that would test his soul. Saul cocked his head to the side, taking in Samuel with a perplexed look. No doubt Saul had expected more from such a renowned prophet. Saul had likely expected a grand figure clad in gold threaded robes bearing jewels to proclaim his authority. What he saw was an old man in plain garb, his weathered face shadowed by the weariness of years. 00:12:52 Speaker 6: I am the seer you're seeking. 00:12:55 Speaker 2: Samuel shrugged and turned on his heel. 00:12:58 Speaker 6: Come with me, high place. You will share a meal. 00:13:03 Speaker 4: With me, and in the morning I will tell you all that is in your heart. 00:13:12 Speaker 7: A great seer. I came only to ask. 00:13:16 Speaker 9: Your donkeys are safe, soul, son of Kish. They weren't found not long after you departed from your father's house. 00:13:26 Speaker 2: The words stopped Saul in his tracks. He turned to Tavi, who looked just as bewildered. Saul opened his mouth to ask the obvious question, but was cut off again. 00:13:37 Speaker 4: How do I know you came to ask about the donkeys? How do I know your name? Stupid questions? I must here. It's my job to see such things. Now it's your job to listen. 00:13:52 Speaker 6: Come, I've been expecting. 00:13:54 Speaker 2: You, Samuel pressed on. Saul padded briskly behind, and. 00:14:01 Speaker 7: What do you want with me? 00:14:04 Speaker 4: It's not about what I want, but the people. As it turns out, you're the one whom an entire nation has been pining after the hope of Israel. 00:14:17 Speaker 2: Saul had an inkling of what Samuel was getting at Groans for a king had been heard from every corner of Israel. Saul replied, with feigned humility. 00:14:28 Speaker 7: I I am of the tribe of Benjamin, the least of the tribes of Israel. My father's claim the small I'm a nobody. 00:14:37 Speaker 2: Samuel turned his sharp gaze, penning Saul in place. 00:14:42 Speaker 4: False modesty does not suit a man of your stature. 00:14:46 Speaker 6: Your father is a man of means. Your name is known among the tribes, and you stand here before me, head and shoulders above the rest. Do not speak as if you're nothing. God does not waste his anointing on men without peppers. 00:15:04 Speaker 2: Saul said nothing, and for once his commanding posture faltered. Samuel may have been an older, smaller man, but Saul somehow felt small. Walking beside him, they continued up the hill without looking back. The high place was alive with the flicker of torches and the hum of voices. The smell of roasted meat mingled with the fragrant herbs that burned in offering. Inside the large hall, thirty men reclined at a long wooden table, their murmured conversations ceasing as Samuel entered. Saul followed the prophet hesitantly, his eyes scanning the room. The men stared at him with curiosity, some whispering to one another. Samuel ignored them all, leading Saul to the head of the table. Sit at the head, Samuel offered no explanation. The prophet merely gestured for Saul to take his place, then seated himself to the right. A servant brought the choicest portions of meat and bread, placing them before Saul with quiet reverence. Saul's appetite returned with the first whiff of the food, and though he tried to eat with decorum, his hunger betrayed him. Samuel meanwhile sat back, answering questions from the other men, but saying little to Saul himself. The seer's face was inscrutable, and Saul could not shake the feeling that he was being watched or judged. When the feast ended, Samuel led Saul and Tavey back into the city. The moon hung high in the night sky, casting silver light over the narrow streets. Samuel stopped before a small home, gesturing to the rooftop. 00:16:58 Speaker 6: I have made a price for you to rest. In the morning, you will go on your way. 00:17:05 Speaker 7: Uh, thank you, great seer. 00:17:09 Speaker 9: Comey, Samuel, I'm a prophet, but I'm still a man. Remember young song, no title ell evates you beyond humanity, all but dust. 00:17:22 Speaker 6: And to the dust we shall all return. 00:17:25 Speaker 2: Samuel left unceremoniously, and the two companions scaled the stairs on to the roof. The beds on the roof were simple, nothing more than Matt's in a single lamp burning low at its head. Tavi lay near by, snoring softly, but Saul remained awake. He stared at the moon, his heart restless. The words Samuel had spoken echoed in his mind, the hope of Israel. He could not sleep. Something was shifting within him, something he could not yet. Nigh dawn broke, casting the hills in golden light. Samuel roused Saul with a firm nudge. 00:18:13 Speaker 6: Rise, Saul, it is time for you to go. 00:18:18 Speaker 2: The three men walked toward the city gates, the streets stirring with the first signs of life. As they approached the edge of the city, Samuel tugged at Saul's sleeve. 00:18:30 Speaker 6: Have your servant to go on ahead. You and I must speak alone. 00:18:36 Speaker 2: Saul obeyed, and Samuel led him to a stream that curved lazily around the city. The old man gestured for Saul to sit on a smooth stone by the water's edge. Then from his robes, Samuel withdrew a flask of oil. Saul watched in silence as Samuel uncorked the flask and lifted it high. His lips moved in a whisper, his words too soft for Sauld to hear. It was not the kind of prayer Saul was used to. This was intimate and powerful. It was as if Samuel were speaking directly to someone right there by his side. When the prophet's hands steadied, he poured the oil over Saul's head. The fragrant liquid spilled down, soaking into his hair and trickling over his shoulders. Samuel placed his hands on either side of Saul's face, pulling him close until their foreheads nearly touched. 00:19:40 Speaker 6: Lord has a nordered you. You will reign over his people's soul. You will deliver them from their enemies. This oil is a sign of his favor, but his spirits will be is a true mark. I feel calling, How can this be? 00:20:04 Speaker 2: Samuel straightened, lifting Saul to his feet. 00:20:09 Speaker 4: As you return home, silence will follow him. 00:20:14 Speaker 6: They were confirmed. 00:20:15 Speaker 4: The Lord's hand upon you, But writtiness spirit comes pon your son, who will become a man. 00:20:25 Speaker 2: The prophet's words rang in Saul's ears as he walked away, the oil still clinging to his skin. He had come in search of donkeys. He was leaving with a destiny. This Prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People. Narrated by Paul Caltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. 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